Horizontally circulating ball bearing vertical track



H. S. FALL Oct. 23, 1962 HORIZONTALLY CIRCULATING BALL BEARING VERTICAL TRACK Filed March 13, 1961 l lllllllllli INvENTuu HERBERT 5. FALL Jay WC? 7 rlllld IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'IA I!!! II vi ,IIIIIIII I i I United States Patent ()fifice 3,059,978 Patented Oct. 23, 1962 3,059,978 HORIZONTALLY (IHM'JULATENG BALL BEARBN G VERTECAL TRACK Herbert S. Fall, 625% E. Iona Road, Indianapolis 3, Ind. Filed Mar. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 95,352 7 Claims. (U. 3083.6)

This invention relates to a track supporting and guiding construction characterized by being extremely thin in its overall horizontal direction, and having extensible parts intersupported and carrying the load on a double row of ball bearings, top and bottom, wherein the top and bottom balls are mounted in such manner that they may be circulated from one side to another as will hereinafter be explained.

A fundamental purpose of the invention is to provide a high load carrying capacity track which will occupy the minimum space in a horizontal direction, and which will be of the anti-friction type.

A further important object of the invention is to provide an extremely simple track construction employing ball bearings between telescoping parts, wherein the movement of one part will cause the balls to roll under another part aiding in travel of the two parts, rather than resisting that travel as the various parts are extended from their fully telescoping conditions.

A still further important object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein these various telescoped parts, when extended one in relation to the other will carry the full load imposed on the track with safety and without distorting other parts.

The invention finds use particularly in cabinets Within which are carried various electronic devices assembled on chassis. In the modern usage of the electronic devices, there are many of these individual chassis which ordinarily require much space for their suspension or mounting, and the use of the present invention will permit such mounting in the minimum amount of space. At the same time, these various components have considerable weight, so that the load imposed on the supporting media mounts quite rapidly and therefore the supporting media must have sutficient strength to carry these different components without distortion.

It is highly important that the chassis in each case be shiftable to permit ready inspection of the mounted devices and when necessary replacement of certain parts. Normally the devices are maintained within the cabinet as indicated above, but must be pulled from that cabinet from time to time to permit that inspection. So it is that this particular invention provides not only for the heavy loads imposed upon it, but also permits the travel of the components carried by the tracks of the invention to be moved for inspection and for storage quite readily, normally without being entirely disconnected from the storage cabinet.

Of course other uses are to be had of the invention such as in the usual cabinet drawers or in any other devices where the load carrying structure is required to be shifted from one position to another.

The invention is described in reference to the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a view in perspective and partial section of a structure embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in fragmentary side elevation of the structure apart from a cabinet;

FIG. 3 is a view in top plan of the structure;

FIG. 4 is a view on an enlarged scale in end elevation;

FIG. 5 is a view in vertical section and in enlarged scale on the line 55 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a detail on an enlarged scale in partial section in top plan of an end portion of the track structure embodying the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a detail in vertical section of a stop pin mounting.

A pair of outer track plates designated by the numerals 10 and 11 are formed in identical shapes and sizes. Th detail description of one will suffice for the other. Thus, plate 10 is substantially planar throughout its entire area and has top and bottom edges provided with rolled over flanges 12 and 13 respectively, each terminating in an end portion 14 parallel to the plate. These flanges 12, 13 have their end portions 14 directed one toward the other on the same side of the plate.

Between these plates 10 and 11 there is mounted a body generally designated by the numeral 15. This body 15 is composed primarily of four separate plates 16, 17, 18, and 19 in the present form of the structure. These plates are secured in face contacts one with another by what may be termed essentially a cap screw, herein shown as two in number, one cap screw spaced longitudinally along the plates from the other. Each cap screw 20 and 21 screw-threadedly engages through the body plates, 16, 17, 18, and 19 and extends from the opposite side of its head 22 by a pin 23 in each instance. The screws 20 and 21 are passed through the body plates from opposite sides as best indicated in FIG. 5 so that the pins 23 extend one from the one side and one from the other side of the assembly of the plates.

The plates 16, 17, and 18, 11 may be considered in pairs. For example, the plate 16 terminates by flanges 24- and 25 along their respective top and bottom edges. The flange 24 is formed into a longitudinal, semi-cylindrical shape terminating respectively by vertically and by upwardly and downwardly extending end portions 26 and 27 respectively. The flanges 24 and 25 extend outwardly and in rounded shapes sufficiently to carry between it and the next adjacent plate 17 ball bearings 28 and 29 in rolling contact therebetween. The end portions 26 and 27 extend vertically upwardly and downwardly respectively from over the ball bearings 28 and 29, FIG. 5.

The plate 117 extends by upper and lower end portions from the lines of contacts of the ball bearing 28 and 29 above and below and over those bearings to terminate in vertically upwardly and downwardly extending end portions 2% and 30 respectively. These end portions 29a and 31 are parallel respectively to the end portions 26 and 2-7 of the plate 16, and moreover are spaced apart one from the other a distance slightly greater than is the thickness of the end portions 14 of the plate 14 The plates 18 and 19 have their top and bottom edge portions formed in exactly the same manner, but only in reverse relation as are the end portions of the plates 16 and 17. The plate 19 has the semi-cylindrical portions 31 and 32. Within which are carried in rolling contact ball bearings 33. On the opposite sides of these ball bearings 33 the plate 18 has portions extending upwardly along the sides of those bearings 33 retaining them within the curved portions 31, 32, terminating in the vertically extending end portions 34 and 35. These end portions 34, 35 are in parallel, spaced relation With the end portions 26 and 27 of the plate 19.

The central body assembly 15 has fixed at opposite ends thereof a head 36, this head 36 is in the nature of an I beam wherein there is a central vertical web 37 having a transverse dimension equal to the combined thicknesses of the plates 16, 17, 18, and 19. Then across the top and bottom ends of this web 37 are top andbottom blocks 38 and 39 respectively integral with the web 37. The header in each instance is made an integral part of the body 15 by having the web portion 37 Welded thereto so that the web 37 is in elfect a continuation of the central portion of the body 15. The blocks 38 and 39 cover over the top and bottom end portions of the plates 16,

3 17, 18, and 19 with their undersides terminating substantially at the undersides of the upper balls 28, 33 and the topsides of the balls 29, 33.

The heads 38 and 39 each have a substantially semicircular cavity formed in their respective top and bottom sides generally designated by the numeral 40. These cavities are provided so that from the top side for instance, the ball bearings 28 may be dropped into the cavity 49 and allowed to roll around into their positions as indicated in FIG. 6 throughout the entire length of the plates forming the body 15. This filling is continued until the ball bearings come around the opposite cavity 46 at the other end of the body 15, to enter into that side of the roller bearings designated by the numeral 33 until that entire circuit is filled with ball bearings in rolling contact one with the other so that in eiiect, there is a continuous row of bearings one adjacent the other entirely around through those cavities and on opposite sides of the intervening plates :17 and 18. In order to retain the ball bearings in that circuit, there is a retaining plate 4 1 fixed to the top side of the block 38 and extending by a tongue 42 between the upturned ends 2% and 34, FIGS. 5 and 6. The plate 41 is retained in position on the head block 38 by any suitable means, herein shown as by means of a set screw 4211. This effectively closes over the cavity 40 in each instance so that the ball bearings are retained in the circuit as has been desecribed. Then the assembly may be turned over and the ball bearings filled into the spaces occupied by the ball bearings 29 and 33 at the lower end of the body 15, FIG. 5, until that circuit is filled whereupon a plate 43 is placed over the cavity 40 in the block 39 and there secured by means of a set screw 44 With that assembly thus completed with the continuous rows of ball bearings across, along the body at both top and bottom sides, the plates 10 and 11 are ready to be assembled therewith. This is done simply by bringing the plate 10 up to an end of the body '15 and guiding the top and bottom end portions 14 between the end portions 26 and 29a at the top of the body 10 and 27 and 30 at the lower end and then relatively moving or sliding the plate 10 along the body 15 whereupon the end portions 14 by their free edges come into contacts with the ball bearings appearing between those ends, and the top and bottom of the cylindrical portions of the plates I16, '17. In the same manner, the plate 11 is assembled by bringing its opposing edge portions \14 between the body end portions 26, 34- at the top and 27, 35 at the bottom and then sliding the plate endwise to bring the free edges of those portions 14- into contacts with the ball bearings appearing between those respective end portions of the plates 18 and 19.

Each of the plates 10 and 11 carries an abutment and 51 respectively at their opposing outer ends and centrally thereof, vertically.

The plates 10 and 11 are secured respectively in the showing, to a stationary wall 55 and to a shiftable member such as a drawer 56 by any suitable means, such as by screws 57.

When the drawer 56 is being pulled toward an open position, the edge 14 of the plate I l bears under the drawer load on the tops of those bearings 33 which in turn will roll along in the cylindrical portion 31 of the plate 19 of the body '15, thereby transmitting the load to the body 15, and specifically through its cylindrical portion 25 to the top sides of the bearings 29 resting on the flange edge 14 of the plate 10.

The bearings 29 roll along that plate 10 flange edge 14. The plate 17 under load travels as these bearings roll approximately half the speed of travel of the plate 11.

Since the row of bearings 28 is not under load, and neither are the bearings 32, the bearings 28 travel rearwardly around the end block 36 and become the returning, forward moving bearings 33, and likewise, the bear- 4 ings 29 travel forwardly to the front block 36 and thence rearwardly as the bearings 32.

In this regard, there is a slight vertical clearance of both the top edge portion 14 of plate 10* over the bearings 28, and the tops of the bearings 32 and the cylindrical portion 25 of the plate 16.

In reverse travel of the drawer 56, the body 15 travels reversely in relation to the plates 10 and 11.

The same functioning occurs if the track assembly be reversed from top to bottom so that the assemblies do not have to be made in right and left hand sets for a drawer.

When the plate 11 has been advanced sufficiently far to bring its abutment 51 against the pin 23, then relative travel between the plate 11 and the body 15 is stopped. At that time, in accordance with the locations of the screws 20, the abutment 50 of the plate 10 come into contact with the other pin 23 in its path, and the body portion 15 is stopped in its movement, thereby setting up the limits of possible travel of the plate 11 from its fully telescoped position as is the case when the drawer 56 is in the closed condition. These pins 23 are so located that there is sufficient amount of telescoping between the three elements, plates 10, 11, and body '15, that the overlapping will support the extended load.

Therefore it is to be seen that I have presented a very simple construction, yet most effective in its operation and for its intended purposes, in the one particular form, wherein it is obvious that structural changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations which may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A ball bearing, telescoping track for carrying vertically applied loads, comprising a relatively fixed elongated member having a laterally disposed portion along each top and bottom sides carrying respectively downwardly and upwardly extending elements; a second elongated member, movable in respect to the fixed member and having a laterally disposed portion along each top and bottom side carrying respectively downwardly and upwardly extending elements; an elongated body shiftably interposed between the two elongated members; a substantially linear ball bearing upper race along opposite sides of the upper portion of said body; a substantially linear lower ball bearing race along opposite sides of the lower portion of said body; means continuing said race in each instance around the ends of said body; ball bearings filling all of said races and said means; said upper and lower races having each a pair of flanges centrally spaced apart along their top and bottom sides a distance less than the diameter of said bearings; and said elements of both of said members entering between said flanges to be directed toward the ball bearings in said races to have said flanges retain said second member and said body in side by side telescoping relation with said elements guided centrally of the ball bearings, the ball bearings in the races at the upper portion of said body having their centers in a common plane extending approximately at right angles to said body, and likewise, the ball bearings in the two lower races having their centers in a common plane extending approximately at right angles to said body, the two planes being substantially parallel.

2. A ball bearing, three piece telescoping track comprising a shiftable load carrying member; a supporting member relatively fixed; an intermediate member shiftably carried between the load and supporting members; a ball race extending along one side, across end portions, and back along the other side, in a continuous manner, of one edge portion of the intermediate member; balls substantially filling said race, shiftable therearound in a continuous circuit; a second ball race extending along one side, across end portions, and back along the other side, in a continuous manner, of the other edge portion of said intermediate member; balls substantially filling said race, shiftable therearound, in a second continuous circuit; the centers of said balls in said circuits lying each in a plane approximately normal to said intermediate member, and the planes of each being parallel one with the other; a pair of bearing edges carried by said fixed member directed each toward the other normally of said planes and toward and centrally of balls along corresponding sides of said circuits on one side of the intermediate member, and a pair of bearing edges carried by said load member directed each toward the other normally of said planes toward and centrally of balls along said circuits on the opposite side of the intermediate member; and means retaining said bearing edges centrally of said balls in each instance; a load imposed on said load member being transmitted through the bearing edge carried by the load member directed in the load applied direction to the balls of one of said circuits on one side of the intermediate member, through the intermediate member, the balls on the opposite side of the intermediate member in the second of said circuits, and the supporting member bearing edge supporting said last balls.

3. A telescoping track comprising three members, a relatively fixed member, a load carrying shiftable member, and an intermediate shiftable member; a pair of ball bearing circuits extending side by side around marginal edge and end portions of said intermediate member; ball bearings in and approximately filling each of said circuits; the centers of bearings in one circuit being approximately in a plane parallel to a second plane including approxi mately the centers of the bearings in the other circuit; a pair of bearing edges carried by said fixed member directed one toward the other and receiving therebetween in approximate rolling contact the bearings of one of said circuits on one side of said intermediate member; a pair of bearing edges carried by the load carrying member directed one toward the other and receiving therebetween in approximate rolling contact the bearings of the other of said circuits on the other side of said intermediate member; and means maintaining all of said bearing edges substantially centered on said bearings.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which there is along each bearing circuit, a pair of adjacent ball bearing retaining flanges one along each side of said circuit and comprising a cylindrical section; one flange spaced from the other receiving one of said bearing edges therebetween constituting said centering maintaining means.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which there are opposite end portions carried by said intermediate member, Within each of said end portions there is a semi-circular guide wall at the end of each of said circuits around which the bearings may roll from one side to the other side of the common circuits, said end portions having an opening thereto for filling and inspecting the bearings in the circuits.

6. The structure of claim 4 in which said fixed memher and said load member are substantially identical in shape and dimensions, and have overturned marginal portions spaced from the members in a common plane, the opposing edges of which portions constitute said bearing edges; said intermediate member having a body of four plates fixed in succession one against the other, the outermost of which plates carry said semi-cylindrical flanges, and the two innermost plates carry extensions beyond the said flanges of the outer plates constituting said circuits, said ball bearings being rollably carried between said cylindrical flanges and said innermost plate extensions, said extensions extending partly over said bearings from one side, and said outer plate flanges extending partly over the bearings from the other side providing a slot therebetween over said bearings, and said bearing edges entering said slot in each instance.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which said end portions comprise a head fixed to each end of the combined plates, and of a thickness substantially equal to the maximum width of the intermediate member, said head in each instance having a cavity therein having said guide wall and an opening through which said bearings are received from one side of the plates and guided by said wall around to the other side of the plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,964,373 Paskin Dec. 13, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 730,922 France May 23, 1932 219,364 Australia Dec. 18, 1958 

